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Although it's only the middle of summer,
school is scheduled to begin August 11, which is just around the corner.
The old adage, "preparation is the key to success," applies not only for
school children but for parents as well. After a summer off, it's
sometimes difficult to get back into the swing of things, so it's best
to begin preparing early by setting ground rules, making lists of items
needed for the upcoming school year and brainstorming ways to make the
transition easier for everyone.
Creating Stress Free Morning Routines
 Get up! Get up!
Breakfast is ready. Hurry up. The bus will be here soon. Where did you
put your clothes? I thought I asked you to get them ready last night.
Don't forget to brush your teeth. I don't know where you put your
homework. Come on. It's time to go. Here comes the bus.
This is a typical morning for many parents around the city. It seems
like no amount of planning can make school mornings run smoothly. But
things can be much easier with a little bit of preparation at night
before you put the kids to bed.
- It will be much easier to get your children up in the morning if you
get them to bed early.
- Make sure that baths or showers are taken at night.
- Check homework before you put the children to bed and then make sure
all books, homework and other materials are in your child's book bag.
- Make school lunches the night before so that you don't have that extra
chore in the morning.
- Give your child only one instruction at a time. Too many instructions
ensures that something will be left undone.
- Set consequences for your child when things do not get done as you
have requested and stick to them. Things will run more smoothly when
children know you mean what you say.
- Do not yell at your child. Yelling will only make matters worse and
set a negative tone for the day.
- Hug and kiss your child before he/she leaves for school no matter how
badly things have gone that morning.
- Remember that it may take a few days or weeks for the routine you make
to become a habit for your child.
- Consistency is the key. Following the same routine every morning and
night will eventually pay off, and those stressful mornings will happen
much less frequently.
Making Charts to Create Routines
A good way to get your family accustomed to a routine is to create
charts that reflect the responsibilities each person has and what you
expect from your children. There are several approaches you can use with
regard to charts.
- Use separate lines of the chart for each item that needs to be
completed.
- List tasks to be completed clearly: make your lunch, finish your
homework, pack your book bag, pick out your clothes, brush your teeth,
take a shower.
- Reward your child on the chart with check marks, smiley faces or
stickers.
- Place chart in an easily accessible area, such as on the refrigerator.
- If your child completes all tasks on the chart during the week, give
him/her a reward to show that you are paying attention.
- Make the chart a fun experience so that your child feels good about
completing tasks.
Homework Routines
Make your rules for school before the bell rings for the first day
of class. When you set a rule, make sure you stick to it and that are
consequences for not following the rule.
- Homework should be started as soon as your child gets home from
school. If you allow your child to wait until later, you run the risk of
the child being too tired to do his best work or it getting too late to
finish before bedtime.
- Give your child a healthy snack before homework is started.
- Do not allow your child to do homework while the television is on.
- Do not allow your child to schedule any extracurricular activities
until homework is finished.
- Do not allow your child to have phone calls why homework is being
done.
- Check homework assignments to make sure that all work is complete.
- Reward your child for a job well done.
Keeping your Child Motivated
Children react differently to school. For some children, mathematical
equations and scientific theories compute easily while others struggle
to grasp simple concepts. Children who do not have to struggle seem to
enjoy school more. You cannot force your children to like school, but
you can make it easier for them to care about their education.
- Always reward your child for effort even if the result is not an "A."
- Do not belittle your child when they do not make good grades. Instead,
discover why the test was so difficult and look closely for problem
areas. Work on those problems and closely monitor your child's progress.
- Talk with your child regularly about the benefits of a good education.
- Stay in close contact with teachers. Ask questions. Be involved. Show
your child that you care about his/her progress.
- Encourage your child through praise when progress is made.
- Make up ways to make homework projects fun. When your child needs
help, take the time to help him/her.
- Remember that your child's education is your responsibility, too. When
you care, your child will care.
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